Robert DuSold

My partner Tom and I have not been to a movie together since before the pandemic. We dove back in the cinema-waters recently and saw “Bros”.

The local movie theater now is entirely online and you have to scan a QR code for tickets and for the pleasure of doing all the work yourself you get charged a convenience fee.

Why God?

Anyway, they have wine in teeny cans that you can take to your seat now so that’s fun.

There were 6 people in the theater when the movie started… 2 left after Billy Eichner jerked off.

Chicken or the egg? Homophobia or a visceral response to Billy Eichner jerking off?

Who knows? I don’t know if I’d leave, but I would probably squirm in my seat if I saw Tina Fey masturbate….

Sooo, the movie. The first gay romcom. At least that’s what the marketing for this film shouted from the sosh.

I think even wanting to define this film that way was part of it’s failing. In the beginning of the film, “love is love is love” is taken on as an entry point for acceptance by straight people of us gays.

“Love is not love” Billy says…”We just wanted to get on the map.“

He’s right about that…. it’s ok that gay love is different.

It’s ok that this isn’t a romcom too.

I don’t know what it is … but there was a lot of funny stuff in there. More funny writing than delivery.

We’re at such an odd inflection point now, but Eichner going on the sosh and blaming straight people for his film’s demise is part of the predictable predicament we find ourselves in.

It’s defined our politics more than anything else… the culture wars are the only battle anybody seems to care about.. with artists taking on changing the world… in a very teeny, capitalisticentitled bubble.

I just don’t think it’s working. “Bros” ain’t gonna change the world. Or make people rich. Neither will an all femaletransnonbinary “1776”, or a host of other stuff that advertises social justice as part of admission with your entertainment.

Much to the chagrin of many, I concieved and produced a mainstream musical called “Southern Comfort” .. a love story that centered around the trans community.

As it turned out, my penis and my ethnicity got in the way.. something I had never really thought of when I decided to make it real.

All of that horror aside, when I saw the 2 older peeps walking out of “Bros” it reminded me how proud I was when people walked out of “Southern Comfort”.

I was really proud of that. I didn’t want them there. I wanted people who wanted to experience the show there… comfortable and free. I felt if I pushed buttons I had done my job.

My show wasn’t for everybody. Sure, transphobia played into it. A good friend saw the first preview and thought it was boring. I guess that could be part of it not being a hit too.

But, what I learned the hard way from my experience with “Southern Comfort” is all the letters in the alphabet soup .. LGBTQ … are not comfortable with the letter beside them for the most part.

I had hoped to change that… it didn’t work. And “Bros” tries to do the same thing. Fantasy is part of romantic comedies .. but I couldn’t begin to suspend my disbelief for that kumbaya.

We live in a niche world now. “Bros” is a niche film.. I enjoyed it.. other than Billy Eichner singing a love song, which was possibly as offensive to me as him masturbating to the folks who left the movie.

Movies and plays have to paint with broad strokes .. and lots of the strokes that weren’t on weenies in this film I thought were pretty cliched.. thrupples, injecting testosterone, Grindr, gay couples having kids, etc.

That seemed to play to the audience that this film is admonishing people to see.

There were several star cameos in “Bros” … all playing themselves except gay icon Harvey Fierstein.

Make of that what you will.

Oh, and the ever raging debate about gay actors only playing gay roles was flipped with a gay actor poorly playing a straight dude.

Which I found pretty much proves representation should at it’s core be about hiring the best actor and not proving a point, unless the point is to represent mediocre actors who are _____________.

Do the gay lovedudes make it to three months staying together?

That’s the big question in this film.

How gay.

Tom and I are in year 22.

I don’t know, if you’re selling this film to straight peoples as a romcom, maybe they should grow old together.

Maybe that’s not as charming? Funny?